A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 457

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Regression Manual for Idols Who Lost Their Original Intent Episode 457

The drama began with the female lead working diligently at her company.

After work, the female lead was sweeping up spam, tuna, and cooking oil that had been cheaply listed on Carrot Market due to holiday gift sets, when she discovered a short-term part-time job posting on Carrot Market for a blind date substitute.

[Looking for Lee Hyera. Lee Haera and Lee Yera also welcome. Lee Hyera? That’s my name. Wait… what? 1 million won for going on one blind date as a substitute?]

“They’ve decided to go full makjang. Looking urgently for a same-name substitute on Carrot Market. What are the odds of that actually working? What are the chances there’s a Lee Hyera in the same district on Carrot Market! That’s unrealistic! They made the name unusual to create justification for paying money, right? But then they can’t use an unusual surname to avoid same-clan marriages, right? If it’s a rare surname, they’d be distant relatives!”

I hadn’t known since we’d never watched dramas together before, but Seo Yehyeon seemed to be the type who strictly scrutinized the realism in dramas.

But I had no room to talk since I had the exact same thoughts as Seo Yehyeon when I first watched this drama before regression.

As the episodes went on, I realized this was a drama you watch with your brain turned off and stopped nitpicking by myself. I just hoped Seo Yehyeon would realize it quickly too.

“That’s why it’s a drama. It’s fun though.”

“Usually blatant makjang is more entertaining than half-hearted makjang.”

On the other hand, Kim Dobin and Ryu Jaehee were the type to watch without thinking.

[I have no intention of getting married. So please make the blind date partner completely fed up with Hyera. Make sure the adults never mention ‘blind dates’ again.]

[How far can I go? Since I’m getting a whole million won, I’ll set aside my human rights for a moment and customize it for you! Taking off shoes and putting feet on the table? Picking my nose?]

[No, not that far… Could you consider my human rights too…?]

“Still, the reason for finding someone with the same name is somewhat logical. If she reacts slowly when they call her name because she can’t adapt, it’ll look suspicious and increase the chances of getting caught using a substitute.”

“If you pay me, I’ll do anything! If you pay me to substitute for Yoon Eden, I’ll brainwash myself into thinking I’m Yoon Eden and respond immediately!”

“Why is this hyung treating the drama like a documentary?”

After showing the entire process of the female lead’s blind date substitute contract, the drama switched to the male lead’s screen. The male lead was a contemporary art artist.

[Don’t you think it’s ridiculous too, senior? Marriage at this age.]

[Being an executive director at a major corporation at that age makes sense? Anyway, our country really knows how to parachute people in through blood relations.]

[So, could you go on a blind date just once in my place?]

[You’re not listening to me. And why would I go on your blind date?]

“It’s Hajun hyung!”

Finally, the long-awaited Gyeon Hajun appeared.

At Kim Dobin’s exclamation, Gyeon Hajun, who had buried his face in the sofa cushion he was holding, finally lifted his head to face himself acting on the TV screen.

“Hey, Jun. If it’s hard to watch, don’t watch. We’ll watch it for you.”

“No. I need to see it with my own eyes to know where my acting was awkward and how to fix it.”

Even while making groaning sounds, Gyeon Hajun’s eyes remained fixed on the TV screen.

[Whether this Kim Yuhwan goes or that Kim Yuhwan goes, what do I care? Either way, as long as Kim Yuhwan goes. Right?]

[What if she likes me and asks for an after-party?]

[You need to handle it well so she doesn’t ask for an after-party, senior. If possible, please make her go home and be so fed up that she absolutely can’t marry that bastard.]

[Anyway, I don’t want to.]

[Hmm, even with this condition?]

Gyeon Hajun, appearing as the male lead’s same-name university club junior, was excellently portraying a character who smiled gently throughout but occasionally showed arrogant and cynical sides.

“No way, he falls for the temptation of a collaboration project like that? Without even writing a contract, what’s he trusting about a verbal agreement from a parachute hire? Is he an idiot?”

“Yehyeon hyung, even so, calling someone an idiot. Maybe he doesn’t know much about the world since he only paints.”

“Hey, the female lead is much more street-smart! The female lead only got 1 million won, but if the male lead collaborates with a major corporation, how much money would come to him as the copyright holder? Hyera, you’re being too cheap! Give him more!”

“Aw, they’re going to end up together anyway. When they get married, it becomes joint property.”

“No, a cool cash transaction of 1 million won like the Hyeras would be better. Since it’s a cash transaction, no taxes would be deducted. If that falls through, the male lead gets 0 won. Hajun can just wash his mouth clean after the blind date, right? That idiot didn’t even write a contract. Does a verbal agreement have any effect?”

“No, hyung. Even with taxes deducted, if the collaboration happens, would the money coming in be comparable to a million won? And the female lead and male lead need to meet, so obviously the collaboration will happen. Hajun and the protagonist Hyera work at the same company. If Hajun backs out saying it’s a verbal agreement, this drama ends in episode 2.”

“Ryu Jae, Ryu Jae, but would a chairman’s grandson become an executive director in his mid-twenties? Really?”

“Eden hyung, is that real?”

“Why are you asking me when I know nothing? Our family isn’t a major corporation, it’s real estate.”

“Hajun hyung became an executive director faster than Samsung’s vice chairman? Must be dramatic license.”

But everyone was too busy nitpicking the drama content to pay attention to Gyeon Hajun’s acting.

Thanks to that, Gyeon Hajun’s expression while watching his own acting became much more relaxed. The cushion he had been gripping tightly to bury his face in was now placed obediently on his lap.

Hmm, surely Hajun hadn’t forgotten how the members used to watch me dominate the stage on DTB 4, but instead of praising me, they only praised the beat and debated who would advance.

The only time warmth existed in this group was when someone other than me was hurting.

【Project Blind Date】 episode 1 ended with the scene where the two protagonists finally arrived at the blind date location. Gyeon Hajun’s voice softly played as the drama’s ending OST while briefly showing the next episode preview.

[Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Yuhwan.]

[I’m Lee Hyera.]

[Wow, that guy is no ordinary crazy person. Lee Hyera, choosing to use a substitute to ruin the blind date was really an excellent choice.]

[That woman was really insane. You didn’t know everything and send me as a substitute, did you?]

“The next episode is a real acting showcase. I watched the filming to study acting, and it was insane.”

Gyeon Hajun spoiled episode 2 a bit for us with a slightly fed-up expression.

Come to think of it, episode 1 was calm and it took off through word of mouth starting from episode 2. It’s also the episode I remember most clearly. This time I should watch it live instead of catching up later.

Watching together like this, adding comments to the drama, made it twice as fun.

“But honestly, I think I would have watched it even if Hajun hyung wasn’t in it. Episode 1 is incredibly entertaining, right? If it doesn’t turn into a dragon head, snake tail, it seems like it could reach masterpiece status.”

“Exactly. Yoon Eden pushed this so strongly that I was puzzled, but Eden’s instincts are still alive. There are many places to nitpick, but it’s entertaining because it’s full-on makjang with everything thrown out. Worth continuing to watch.”

Even Seo Yehyeon, who had been nitpicking while watching, honestly admitted that my choice wasn’t bad. Now if Writer Kim Jeongseok’s drama fails spectacularly, the trust toward me will skyrocket beyond vertical ascent.

“Wow, the drama OST that Hajun hyung sang already made it to the real-time charts. Everyone’s so fast.”

I was about to search for reactions to Hajun’s drama on Weekly Search Quest, but at Ryu Jaehee’s words, I immediately changed direction to check the music charts first.

Of course. While only Gyeon Hajun worked hard in the drama, the drama OST that Gyeon Hajun sang also has a significant portion of my contribution as lyricist and composer.

[92nd-new ‘Gyeon Hajun – Merry-go-round’ ♥1701]

For a ranking right after just episode 1 of the drama ended, it wasn’t bad. It would climb higher from here.

Of course, even without the drama boost, I was confident enough that the song alone would attract attention and climb the music chart rankings. Obviously, considering who made the song.

“So what. Anyway, when Writer Kim Jeongseok’s drama airs, all the attention and viewers will flock there.”

Either be relieved or disappointed, pick one, Jun. Even though the blatantly makjang drama was embarrassing, it seemed he didn’t mind his own drama getting attention.

“True, that drama had tons of articles from the lead actor confirmation. Choi Jin and Kang Seyoung starring in Writer Kim Jeongseok’s drama.”

Choi Jin was a trending male actor who had solidly established himself as a reliable actor after his previous leading roles hit consecutively. Kang Seyoung was also a famous actress everyone would recognize by name.

Since the lead actors were the same as before regression, I felt more at ease. It seemed certain that drama wouldn’t overshadow Gyeon Hajun’s drama while gaining attention, just like before regression.

The role that Gyeon Hajun had been offered also went to the idol who had played that role before regression.

Kim Dobin, who surprisingly had wide connections, brought up news about Writer Kim Jeongseok’s drama.

“I heard this through the grapevine, but you know that role Hajun hyung got casting for? Wiz Ugyeonghe senior got that part and apparently had a big fight with Choi Jin. Choi Jin really looks down on idol group members.”

“If you think about it, doesn’t Gyeonghe senior have more acting experience? He’s a child actor. Actor Choi Jin debuted in his twenties.”

“Exactly. If he looks down on someone with that kind of experience just for being an idol, imagine how much more he would have looked down on Hajun hyung, who’s filming as an actor for the first time.”

“You don’t get looked down on here, right?”

“Yeah, when we made our comeback this time, everyone gave us kind words saying they enjoyed our song and helped me get familiar with the filming location.”

“That’s actually fortunate. Even if Choi Jin had looked down on you, you wouldn’t have been able to hit back and would have just swallowed it inside.”

“I think it’s really fortunate that Eden has no acting talent. There won’t be any news about fighting with actors.”

Gyeon Hajun playfully smiled and shot back. I couldn’t bring myself to say that wouldn’t happen.

“But didn’t that drama release articles and promote quite a while ago? They still haven’t launched?”

“Maybe there’s more to prepare since it’s a highly anticipated work.”

I replied indifferently while reading Daydream’s reactions to today’s drama. The name: outsourced praise.

“While watching the drama, they said there wasn’t a single awkward spot in Jun’s acting. And oh, the ending OST was good.”

Seo Yehyeon glanced back at me and muttered.

“He’s sneakily slipping in praise for himself too.”

Hmm, was it that obvious…?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————